Burned Out Fuse Blamed in Accident During Trial Run; Ship
Is Pulled Loose to Resume Trip Up River
By Ray Sprigle
Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Half a hundred guests aboard the American Bridge Company's Tank-Landing
ship, LST 282, on its trial run down the Ohio yesterday afternoon, got
a thrill non on the program when the big boat actually made a crash landing
on the Ohio shore below Aliquippa.

Burning out of a fuse on a switchboard in the electrical steering control
for a few seconds as the boat was completing its trial run. Engines
were reversed to full speed astern, but the ship swerved into the south
bank of the river.

The crash landing that ensued was a perfect preview of the landings
the boat will make in days to come on shores somewhere in Europe or in
the Pacific.

Boat Pulled Loose

All that was needed to make the crash landing more realistic was a flock
of tanks to come rumbling over the landing stage in the bow and open up
with their 105's as they hit the shore.

The boat pulled out of the mud bank where she came to rest without a
scratch and resumed her way up river. The combat crew that will board
her in a few days when she is commissioned by the navy will know that their
boat is going to stand up like a veteran when they crash her on enemy shores
thousands of miles away from the peaceful Ohio.

A dab of paint dropped from a painter's brush was responsible for the
unscheduled crash test that the LST 282 got yesterday. The pain dropped
on the fuse connection behind the switchboard. When it got hot it
resulted in the fuse burning out.

"That's why we have test runs," commented a Navy officer. "It's
a whole lot better that that fuse burned out in the Ohio -- than someday
when we'll be driving shoreward to establish a beachhead under enemy fire. "

Fighting Ships

The LST 282 came through its trial run, crash landing and all, with
flying colors. That's standard practice for these big boats that
are turned out of the shipyards of the Pittsburgh district.

These tank landing boats are no mere patrol boats. They're ships,
fighting ships too. They serve a double purpose They
land our tanks and crews on enemy beaches but they also help in the tremendous
job of transporting war material and troops from the United States production
front to the war fronts scattered all over the world.

Rear Admiral Charles Lee, Navy Chief of the Shipbuilding Division, Bureau
of Ships, USN, paid a tribute to the tank landing craft being turned out
along the Ohio. Each of them carries a smaller craft chocked on its
deck to the theater of war, he told an audience of thousands that gathered
in the American Bridge Company's shipyards yesterday in observance of Navy
Day. In their bottoms they carry oil for the engines of war.
In their holds they carry cargo and fighting men as well as the tanks thay
were designed to carry and land.

The LST's are Diesel-driven by giant motors. On each ship is an
entirely separate engine room where smaller Diesels drive generators that
produce the current for the vast and intricate electrical system which
controls the operation of the ship.

View of Operation

Most dramatic feature of yesterday's test run was when the great doors
in the bow of the ship swung open, the big drawbridge over which tanks
will some day rumble, dropped and the ship was ready to unload the deadly
freight she will carry on her tank deck. That tank deck where the
big tanks will ride across the ocean, each chained to the steel deck plates,
brings the war right up the Ohio.

Every ship that leaves the American Bridge Company fitting dock is completely
equipped for action, from the quarters of beef hanging in the refrigerators,
to the drugs and surgeons' instruments in the tiny hospital.

Preceding the trial run of the 282, a sister ship the 286, was launched
from the ways of the transfer area of the yards. Sponsor of the launching
was Mrs. Lois Ethel Leseman, a welder in the navy plate yard at Ambridge
who cracked the traditional bottle of champagne on the 286's bows as she
slid into the Ohio. Mrs. Lesemnan's husband is a soldier with the
American Army in Europe. Her brother is in the navy. Her aide
was a fellow welder, Mrs. Wanda Olbeter, and both of them demonstrated
that even a welder's outfit can't hide good looks and charm.

Stern Section Readied

L. A. Paddock, president of the American Bridge Company spoke for the
builders of the ship and Rear Admiral Brand represented the navy.

While the ceremonies were in progress the entire pre-assembled stern
section of a tank landing ship was moved into position, and before the
launching was completed, the stern was welded into place. While that
was in progress the keel for another ship was completed on the ways left
vacant by the launching of the 286 and the pre-fabricated bow was welded
into position on another ship.

Rear Admiral Brand was guest of honor last night at a dinner in the
Urban Room of the William Penn Hotel which highlighted the observance of
Navy Day in Pittsburgh. The dinner was sponsored jointly by the Pittsburgh
Chamber of Commerce and the navy personnel now stationed in the Pittsburgh
district.